New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-16
THE ATLANTA'S ARMAMENT.
COMMANDER ONEILS "BILL OF PAR
TICULARS.n
HIS DENfALs AND STATEMENTS MEr-REsULTs Of
ARBITRARY BUREAU IGNORANCE

HIS DENfALs AND STATEMENTS MEr-REsULTs OF
ARBITRARY BUREAU IGNORANCE.
To the Edftor Of The Tribune.
SIR have read the articles in your columns with
regard to the Atlanta and editorial to The Evening
Post" asking tor I" a bill OF particulars" AS can
probably furnish information the subject than
any one else the following items arc volunteered, that
you may how accurate your reporter was III the
matter
o. The cause of delay in getting the ship ready
for sea- due to the failure ut the ordnance oncers
The vessel only left the Yard yesterday, being only
then ready for her steam trial, and her ordnance
work has had nothing whatever to do with her deten-
ton 2.l 1t will be to the service that the
Bureau OF Ordnance is the object of considerable cr-
csm because of the bundt ring and incompetence 1t is
showing in the matter of placing the guns on board
the Atlanta" No bunders have been committed and
when any are no attempt will bs made to shrk respon
sblity. 49, 1t hoped that upon this her pres
ent trial rip the guns would be tested but they are
not in shape to fire wadding." The guns are In
shape Tor firing training, elevatng or depressing at
time a. !" The the guns are tinkered at TO
make them fit tho ship. the worse they GET Ii the
work of fitting, placing, fastening and connecting the
numerous carriages, mounts, dynamos ana engines
comes under the head Of tinkeriDg" the Ordnance
Department will have to plead guilty, MS it belongs TO
| IL to do the work.
tracks we're laid and firmly fastened the copper rivets
were being eaten by salvanic action" There was no
gavanic action the tracks are OF bronze l0l = Inc
Bureau took the advice OF practical engineer Not
Who is he TIE exact statement as to rvets 10 as
follows: The sixinch gun tracks were originally
fastened with copper bolts and remain so to-day, no
change having been made contemplated with regard
to them. One OF the two eghtinch circles was
fastened with copper bolts when it was found In the
trial firing ut the proving ground that tor the egbtiuch
guns il would be desirable 10 use stronger metal aud
| an experiment was made with about one dozen steel
bolts which, not proving entirely satisfactory, iron
used. An attempt to give undue prominence to
this tri1ing matter and magnify il into an evidence oil
bunderng is unworthy OF mmentespecialiy as these
precautions taken that accident should occur
board.
III L" When the guns placed OF board it was
| found they would not work the tracks ; the
| guns pointed the wrong way The guns worked all
right the tracks from the first, and cannot by any
possibility point the wrong way. (S.l One man can
train the six-inch guns with ease, and two men tho
eight. Inch hence they cannot work very badly The
only incomplete portion is the steam atae to the
eight-inch carriages, but neither the carriages nor
engines at fault in tue matter. which Is one OF
adjustment and easily remedied. This has nothing TO
do with the efficient working OF the guns. which are
entirely independent OF the steam power ana complete
in themselves without it, it being intended simply to
relieve the in tie long train from one side to the
| other by an engine, aud as two men can work the
cranks small engine all that s required Inc Ont
| cism that all this comes from trying to make line
officers do mechanical work OF which they know moth
ing Is too absurd and indie ites from what quarter IL
comes all the guns and carriages in the Navy we're
designed and al ways have been by line officers. and 1t
Is well known that there among them several very
EXPERT designers The young officer no comes In for
| q rap in connection with the training engines is well
known ms an authority in electrical engineering ana as
| d man OF unusual inventive genius.
The chisclng OF the plates to ~hch you refer might
lac construed into indscr inmate slashng INTO The
vessels hull whereas II Is simply the carrying out OF
part the original des gn OF the Advisory Board or
housing the pOundcrs and 10 being done by con-
structon the ordnance department having nothing 10
do with it, has Il any bearing upon the use OF the
| guns referred 10.
porter hisponts will come ont over his own signature
| bs criticism may have some claim, ana we rhal az
least learn how competent he Is 10 discuss inc subject
Unfortunately there are few officers who delight Ia
atemus TO throw discedit upon the efforts OF others
aud who general are not distng ished ior having
contributed anything OF special value 10 the service
ana also lew welded to bygone days as 10 lament
the very timely demise OF the Tennessee aud her Bis
ters; neither of these classes Will say anything In
! favor of the Atlanta or her armament
| As The TRIBUNE thinks | may be responsible Tor
some OF tho laundering and perhaps therefore in.
tercsed in putting matters in too favorable hght'
would suggest that one OF its reporters ana one from
~ rho Post" and one from The Herald, 10 see mat
tbey report correctly pay me visit ana VIII by
the courtesy Of the commanding officer take them on
board the Atlanta and let them find any gun that Is
not properly or efficiently mounted and ready or ser
| vice. ana let them make Inquiry OF the ohsers in
charge While the vessel herself has come In Tor more
or less criticism her battery and ordnance outht has
received unqualified praise and II Will DO dihcut 10
iud an officer who will not say 1t Is tho finest and
most powerful battery ever mounted on man-oi-war
I'm tins country II the old Officer" wi o has 80 many
brownstone fronts that he is willing 10 wager one
against yard of calico that the vessel viii not be
ready TO test battery tor Two months Will send his
address he can be accommodated as We are all little
short OF such uxuries ut presentand SHAH DC gaa 10
obtain one so cheaply. ChARiEs ONElL
Commander [. S. ". Inspector OF Ordnance.
Ordnance Oticc, Nary Yard Aec- York. April IL,
1887.